High-Mileage Electric Cars Are 25% Less Likely to Fail Their MOT Than Petrol Cars, 47 Million Tests Show

One of the most common worries about buying a used electric car is how well it will hold up after many years on the road. A large new analysis from the UK offers reassuring evidence. Looking at 47.4 million MOT tests, the UK's statutory roadworthiness checks, researchers found that high-mileage electric cars are less likely to fail than comparable petrol cars. The study was commissioned by the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), carried out by the independent transport research organisation New AutoMotive using official DVSA records, and published on 22 September 2026.

The gap grows with distance. At low mileage, between 20,000 and 40,000 miles, results were almost identical: 12.0% of electric cars failed, against 11.7% of petrol cars. But among cars aged three to eight years with 90,000 to 120,000 miles on the clock, 16.5% of EVs failed compared with 22.1% of petrol cars, making the electric cars around 25% less likely to fail once age and mileage were taken into account. Above 120,000 miles, the figures were 16.0% and 23.5%. EV failure rates levelled off at around 16% from roughly 60,000 miles, while petrol and diesel failure rates kept rising.

The researchers point to the mechanical simplicity of the electric drivetrain and to regenerative braking, which reduces wear on conventional friction brakes. Electric cars also recorded fewer suspension defects at 60,000 to 90,000 miles, and 94.6% of EVs were still returning for their MOT at 15 years of age, compared with 88.1% of petrol cars.

"A well-maintained, higher-mileage electric car can be an extremely durable used vehicle," said Toby Poston, chief executive of the BVRLA. Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, added: "High mileage isn't a proxy for poor condition in the way buyers have traditionally assumed."

There are important caveats. EVs recorded about 1.8 times as many tyre defects as petrol cars, and the MOT checks only statutory roadworthiness: it does not measure battery health, battery degradation or charging performance, which buyers should assess separately. Still, as more electric cars reach the second-hand market, the data suggests that a high mileage need not be a reason to rule one out.